As part of 35 new sustainability initiatives, NYU recently announced that offices will be provided more options and resources for reducing waste associated with coffee. Read on to learn more.

What does the new initiative entail?

To divert single-serving coffee pods from the landfill, current purchasers of K-Cup products should contact AskFinanceLink (askfinancelink@nyu.edu) to enroll in the Grounds to Grow On program, free of charge. Grounds to Grow On collects used K-Cups, and separates the components to compost the grounds and recycle the cups. When you enroll, you will receive a pre-labeled box to dispose of used K-Cups. When the box is full, it can be sent with the outgoing mail and another box will be delivered to your office.

Beyond the Grounds to Grow On program for K-Cups, what other machines and programs are available for NYU offices?

Offices may wish to install a bean-to-cup machine, which reduces the most waste by creating single-serving cups of coffee from whole beans, over disposable cups and capsules. Alternatively, a traditional drip coffee machine might be the best option for an office, if certain considerations are met. For instance, drip coffee machines without hot water reservoirs are more efficient, and offices should be mindful about preparing too much coffee that may go unconsumed.

Nespresso Coffee offers a free capsule compost and recycling program and their capsules are made of aluminum, which is a fully recyclable material and environmentally preferable to plastic.

Offices that use a Flavia machine, can pay to enroll in a program similar to Grounds to Grow On that recycles and composts the components of used Freshpacks.

What is the University doing to reduce waste from coffee cups?

We have resources for members of our community on alternatives to coffee cups. Many units on campus give away ceramic and commuter mugs at orientation, meetings, events, and programs. Additionally, we encourage any office or unit that has the resources to purchase mugs for their employees or office pantries to do so, or encourage employees to bring their own. Otherwise, we have suggestions for recyclable paper cups, if there is absolutely no alternative.

Offices that choose to provide their employees with reusable mugs should remind them to take responsibility for washing their mugs after use. When hosting guests, use recyclable disposable cups or develop an equitable plan for distributing, collecting, washing, and storing reusable cups.  

How will you measure the impact of this initiative?

We plan to continue to collect and analyze data as part of this initiative. Our Waste Management team will be conducting waste audits regularly and at the end of 2020, we will have information on how many offices have transitioned to a coffee system that produces less waste.

What’s next?

This is an immediate step we are taking to reduce a large source of waste on our campus. In the long-term, we hope to develop a Zero Waste Plan for NYU.

Want more resources?

• Explore our Coffee Tips for Your Office Pantry infographic for guidance on implementation.
• Contact Procurement (askfinancelink@nyu.edu) for information about how to purchase and install a bean-to-cup machine.